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William H. Pinson, Jr., ’94, was seventy-six at his pass- ing on March 20, 2023 in Savannah, GA following an ex- tended illness. Bill graduated cum laude from Mercer Uni- versity’s Walter F. George School of Law where he was an Editor of The Mercer Law Review and a member of The Moot Court Team. Bill served as Savannah City Attorney and Recorder’s Court Judge at Tybee Island while prac- ticing civil litigation. Bill was the quintessential Southern gentleman and a gifted speaker. He was a fervent read- er and an engaging conversationalist with a rich sense of humor. Most of all, Bill enjoyed relaxing and laughing. Predeceased by a daughter, Bill is survived by Maxine, his wife of almost fifty-five years, another daughter and two grandchildren. Bob Warren Rabon ’97, was eighty-three at his death on March 5th, 2023. Bob received his degree in Educa- tion from Southeastern State College in 1963 and went on to the University of Oklahoma School of Law for his law degree in 1968. Bob served as President of the Okla- homa Bar Association in 1993. Bob served on the Board of Directors of Oklahoma Indian Legal Services from 1995-1997 and as General Counsel for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma for forty-seven years, during which he argued two cases in the United States Supreme Court representing the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations. Bob was instrumental in negotiating a set- tlement among both tribes and the United States for the loss of several million acres of timber around the turn of the century, which required then President Barack Obama to ap- pear at a tribal gathering in Durant. At the time of his death, Bob served as an Appellate Judge for the Choctaw Nation’s District Court. Bob is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Linda Karen Roan Rabon, two sons, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Hon. William Jay Riley, ’92, former Chief Judge of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, died at age seventy-five on January 27, 2023. Judge Riley attended the Univer- sity of Nebraska for his undergraduate and law degrees, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Order of the Coif and Editor-in-Chief of the Nebraska Law Re- view. Active in the College, Judge Riley served as Ne- braska State Chair in 1998-99. In 1980, Judge Riley was asked to take over as Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 444. He said he would do it for one year so they could find someone else. Ten years and twenty-five-plus Eagle Scouts later, he retired as Scoutmaster with a vast num- ber of stories and memories. In 2001, President George W. Bush nominated him to succeed Judge C. Arlen Beam on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate two months later and received his commission on August 3, 2001. He served as Chief Judge of the Eighth Circuit from April 1, 2010, until March 10, 2017, and assumed senior sta- tus on June 30, 2017. After assuming senior status, the Judge enjoyed taking long walks (and big meals) with the Grazers International Hiking Club, watching his grand- children’s activities, and traveling with his wife Norma. He was a fervent and ever-hopeful fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and attended most home games. And until the cancer arrived, he could be found hiking up moun- tains and forging through streams, often singing all the way or bicycling around Omaha unless hindered by a bike-related injury. Judge Riley was predeceased by a son, but survived by Norma, two other children, nine grand- children and a great-grandchild. Gordon L. Roberts, ’82, died peacefully on February 28, 2023 two weeks shy of his eighty-second birthday. Early in his life, inspired by the TV series Perry Mason, Gordon knew he wanted to be a lawyer. He graduated Order of the Coif and case note editor on the Law Review from the University of Utah College of Law in 1965. He was involved in some of the most important cases of his time, including representing the estate of Howard Hughes. He was pronounced one of Utah’s most “Feared Lawyers” by Utah Business magazine. Past President Fran Wikstrom tried many cases with Gordon and recalls one in particu- lar. Gordon and Fran sued a group of former employees who had stolen trade secret technology for making cast emulsion explosives. One of the thieves, named Nigel, managed to blow himself up while testing the purloined technology when it hardened unexpectedly. Gordon felt confident in a victory for two reasons. First, he had been stricken by the muse to write a poem about the case en- titled Young Nigel on the theme of “going hard unexpect- edly” (use your imagination). Second, Gordon practiced his closing argument to his cat Felix, who raised a victory paw. Gordon was previously married for over twenty-five years to Ann Ingebretsen Roberts, with whom he had six children. In 1994, Gordon married Robin Engdahl Rob- erts and inherited several “bonus” children. Gordon took his girls on daddy/daughter camping trips; he loved to golf with his sons. He was a voracious reader and per- 101 JOURNAL